I purchased my Route 7 Leg Warmers, Model R7WALN8LW from Torpdeo7 in July 2008 for $21.99 landed as with my weight loss and riding Froggie, my Look 555, I found I was feeling the cold more. Four degree Celsius starts probably doesn’t help!

The leg warmers are described by Torpedo 7 thus

They feature gripper elastic at the top to keep them in place, and have a smooth stretchy polyester spandex fabric with a brushed back lining to provide warmth. These legs warmers easily fold up to fit into your pocket or backpack as you warm up.

Features include:

• Fabric: 86% polyester and 14% spandex
• Brushed back internal lining for warmth
• Reflective printed Route 7 logo on each leg warmer
• Gripper elastic at top
• 20cm zip opening at hem

Initial Impressions | Field Experience

Initial Impressions

Torpedo 7 provide sizing on their website (lengths only) and do warn that the the sizing is generous.  It would have been helpful in my view if they provided the thigh and ankle opening sizes as well. It should not be hard to do and they do it for other brands of leg warmers they sell.  I say this as I have found the warmers to be a firm fit around the ankle but not around my thighs.  Maybe a smaller size would have been better.

Field Experience

Update - September 5, 2008: I have been wearing the leg warmers pretty much on all my rides since I received them in July 2008, approximately 43 rides (51 hours). Other than the fit issue which I resolve by wearing firm fitting knicks over the warmers, therefore assisting in hold them up and the threads coming away on one leg I am happy with the warmers.  They are on the light side which works for the mild winter weather here in Perth.

I will be returning my pair of warmers to Torpedo 7 for repair/replacement and will then probably use them again next winter but more likley as a back up to a better fitting pair.

Had to share this one.  According to BikeRader.com New York City has decided it needs to spice up cycling and has commissioned city artist and biking enthusiast David Byrne to create some interesting biycle racks for the City.  It is reported that David has come up with nine designs, ranging from a guitar to a coffee cup.  One of his designs is shown below.

New York City Bike Rack

This is the view of Town of Cambridge Councillor Rod Bradley as reported in the Cambridge Post, August 30, 2008 on page 9.

Councillor Bradley is quoted as saying “it is quite silly for us to be spending money on bicycle networks when cyclists don’t use them.”  It is then reported that Mr Bradley was opposing paying half the $146,000 cost of new paths in Oban Road, Dunston Road, and Powis Street and reviewing Cambridge’s five-year old bike plan.

The council has been offered government grants to cover the other half of the cost.

The article closes quoting Councillor Bradley as saying “it is up to the state government to insist cyclists use these paths.”

According to the 2008-2009 Town of Cambridge Draft Budget the amount being proposed to be spent on shared paths within the town was $161,000 which is more than the figure quoted in the newspaper article. This proposed spend equates to 0.01% of the Council’s 2008-2009 draft infrastructure budget.  Does Councillor Bradley have his priorities set right? Is Councillor Bradley informed? Does he understand alternative transport? Does he have an understanding of the cost savings of alternative transport to the council and the community? Frankly I don’t think so and I think that Councillor Bradley needs to get informed before making such rash statements.

If you wish to express your views to Councillor Bradley he can be contacted via the Town of Cambridge website or via email at cr.bradley@cambridge.wa.gov.au.

As it seems that the Transperth Feedback Form does not like me (two computers, two different operating systems, two different browsers and it will not submit) I have decided to post my “letter” here, describing my latest experience with a Transperth driver. If you have had a bad experience do let us know.

Dear Transperth

This morning, August 27, 2008, I was riding my bicycle eastbound on Lemnos Street, Daglish, when I approached the exit point for the recreation centre/works depot.  As I approached the intersection a Transperth bus (TP1350) being driven at the time by a female driver commenced to pull out from my left to execute a right hand turn into Lemnos Street.  This occured at 7:00 AM.  This happened when I was within 5 to 10 metres of the bus.  Thankfully I was climbing the hill at the time so was not travelling at more than 20 km/h. This allowed me time to take evasive action, including coming to a complete stop within 1/2 a metre of the middle of the bus.  That is right,as I stopped in the bike lane, the middle of the bus went pass me.  This gives a clear indication of the closeness of the incident.

The driver failed to acknowledge me, failed to stop and failed to determine all was okay.

I consider the actions of this driver careless at best and I don’t appreciate having myself put at risk in this manner.

Regretfully this is not the first instance of careless driving by Transperth drivers and as advised previously, this matter will raised with the Police in addition to this formal compliant.

Please take immediate steps to reinforce to your drivers that cyclists are legal road users, that they are people, sons, daughters, mothers and dads and have a right to safe passage.  They should be not threatened or endangered in this manner.

Regards
…..

The Bicycle Transport Alliance of WA (BTAWA) in a recent posting to their blog, highlighted a recent change to Criminal Code of Western Australia, Section 284 which came into effect on August 1, 2008. Section 284 of the Criminal Code of Western Australia deals with “Culpable Driving” of vehicles such as bikes, skateboards, scooters, animals and even shopping trolleys and provides for a penalty of 10 years imprisonment for culpable driving causing death and seven years for causing grievous bodily harm. Culpable Driving includes driving/riding a bike in a manner, including speed, that in the circumstances is dangerous to any person. This offence would apply to a cyclist running down a pedestrian.

Something to keep in mind when riding those shared paths. Lets try and do the right thing and share with respect.

The section of the Act is thus:

284.       Culpable driving (other than of motor vehicle) causing death or grievous bodily harm

(1)    In this section —

“conveyance” does not include a motor vehicle;

“drive” a conveyance, includes to pilot an aircraft and to navigate a vessel.

(2)    For the purposes of this section a person culpably drives a conveyance if the person drives the conveyance in a manner (including at a speed) that, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, is dangerous to any person.

(3)    If —

(a)    a person culpably drives a conveyance; and

(b)    the conveyance is involved in an incident that directly or indirectly causes the death of, or grievous bodily harm to, another person,

the person is guilty of a crime and is liable to imprisonment for —

(c)    if death is caused, 10 years; or

(d)    if grievous bodily harm is caused, 7 years.

Summary conviction penalty: imprisonment for 3 years and a fine of $36 000.

(4)    A court convicting a person of an offence under this section that involves the navigation of a vessel must make an order under the Sentencing Act 1995 section 107(1) for a term of at least 2 years.

[Section 284 inserted by No. 29 of 2008 s. 14.]